Tenants access to perform repairs after vacating

Question

Jurisdiction: Victoria, Australia

I had a tenant who recently, legally and voluntarily ended a tenancy and formally vacated (handed back the keys, etc). There are some relatively minor repairs that need doing due to damage they caused. All parties agree that there is damage, the tenants caused the damage and that repairs are required (to restore the property to entry condition, factoring in fair wear and tear, etc).

The tenant wants access to the property to conduct repairs himself for some items, and by his friends/associates for others. I am disinclined to allow this, because:

1. The repairs may not be completed to a professional standard
2. The work done would not be done at arm's length - responsibility of quality becomes blurred
3. I want nothing to do with the tenant because the relationship between us was strained due to reasons I won't go into here, but I will say I had both the moral and legal high-ground over the interactions that caused the tension

Am I required to allow him access?, or can I flatly deny access, get 3 quotes and take the costs out of the bond.

Answer 1

While I don't like agreeing with a landlord, you are in the right here.

Your tenants do not have the right to access the property now they have moved out. If they were still living there things would be different and it would be reasonable for them to fix minor damage (to preserve their deposit). They did not do so.

Get the damage fixed professionally, keep all reciepts, and take it out of the deposit.